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Guilty Plea in $374 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
Cyprian Akamnonu, 64, of Arlington, Texas, pleaded guilty to his role in a $374 million home health fraud scheme in which he and others conspired to bill Medicare for unnecessary services that were never performed.
According to court documents, Akamnonu, along with his wife Pat Akamnonu, owned and operated Ultimate Care Home Health Services, Inc. He admitted that he directed his wife and others to recruit Medicare beneficiaries from Dallas neighborhoods for home health services they did not need and for which they did not qualify.
Akamnonu also admitted to working with co-defendant Jacques Roy, M.D., whose office manager, co-defendant Teri Sivils, would allegedly sign prescriptions on Roy’s behalf. He admitted to paying Sivils cash to sign the prescriptions.
The scheme, which lasted from January 2006 through November 2011, resulted in Ultimate billing over $43 million to the Medicare program for services that were not necessary and were not performed. Roy, in turn, allegedly incorporated the beneficiaries into his own practice and billed over $2.4 million for services related to them.
Akamnonu faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy count. He has also agreed not to contest the forfeiture of 21 real properties, four automobiles, and funds in a number of personal and business accounts connected to proceeds of the fraud.
Akamnonu’s six co-defendants, including his wife, await trial on related charges. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against them are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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